A Silver Morning Star
by Lady Stormcrow
Summary: A bitter young outcast little suspects she will be the one to unite good and evil in battle against a darkness that threatens all.
1. Prologue: The Scavenger

The moon was rising over MegaKat City. A quarter-moon, not much more than a sliver of cool white radiance. A few stars, those bright enough to outshine the city lights, added their sparks against the inky sky.  
  
In the city below, kats went about their lives, preparing for night as they had every moonrise for countless ages. For good or ill, it was a part of life, barely worth thinking about. In the streets and buildings, they performed whatever rituals each associated with the coming of night. Life went on.  
  
Had they known what else was abroad, they might have been more wary.  
  
For a fate worse than death walked the streets tonight.  
  
~~~  
  
Martin Kitley jammed his paws in his pockets and sighed. This day had not been a good one.  
  
First his car had broken down, and he'd had to call the garage to have it towed. Thank the gods for cellular phones. Then he'd missed his meeting with the Pardali executives, and endured curses and threats from his boss for the rest of the day. And lastly, some pickpocket in the subway had stolen his wallet, forcing him to walk the rest of the way home.  
  
Martin quickened his pace. He was not a large tom-kat, and his nice clothes and well-groomed appearance marked him as an easy target. Especially in a neighborhood like this.  
  
He froze at the sound of footsteps behind him. Turning around, he found himself facing a much larger tom, who was smiling evilly.  
  
"Well well. Look at the little runt who got lost." the tom chuckled.  
  
Martin swallowed. "I-I'm sorry. I'm just going . . ."  
  
The tom grabbed Martin's collar. "Got any money on ya, pretty boy?"  
  
"N-no." Martin stammered.  
  
"We'll see about that. Boys!"  
  
Five other kats appeared from the shadows and formed a circle around Martin.  
  
"Look, I'm telling you the truth!" he protested. "I was robbed . . ."  
  
A punch to the stomach silenced him.  
  
~~~  
  
From an alley across the street, a figure watched.  
  
~~~  
  
The thugs grew angry when they discovered Martin had told the truth. They began to search him forcefully for valuables, silencing his protests with blows. Soon they were hitting him purely for the sake of it. After a particularly hard punch to the chest, Martin fell to the ground, and they began to kick him.  
  
~~~  
  
The figure's eyes flickered with delight at the spectacle. Violence was always so lovely.  
  
When Martin finally stopped moving, the thugs lost interest and walked quickly away. Grinning, the figure began to cross the street.  
  
Dinner was served.  
  
~~~  
  
When he was sure they were gone, Martin tried to stir, but fell limp with pain. It felt as though every bone in his body had been shattered. There was a sharp, knife-like pain in his chest, and it was an agony to breathe. He had to get help.  
  
But wait, someone was coming. Martin could hear soft, padding footsteps. Choking on blood, he tried to call to the person. Already the pain in his chest was fading. Perhaps he wasn't as badly hurt as he'd thought. He started to get up.  
  
Then Martin looked down, and saw his own body lying crumpled on the pavement.  
  
Transfixed with horror, he watched as a short figure robed in black walked up to the body. The figure knelt down, and bent its head over the body's smashed, blood-smeared face. Martin watched, unable to tear his no- longer-eyes from the sight.  
  
What was the person doing?  
  
Suddenly, a force seized him. Terrified, Martin tried to struggle, but he was trapped. He felt a sensation like being sucked down a whirlpool.  
  
Then the pain came back. But worse, far worse than any pain a mortal could have felt. If the dead could have screamed, Martin would have been screaming in agony.  
  
An icy cold, beyond absolute zero, ripped at him. Biting, draining, devouring . . .  
  
And then, oblivion. 


	2. Chapter 1: The Clouded Star

The moon had long since set. In the dark hours before sunrise, a few traces of starlight permeated the thin layer of mist that always covered MegaKat Swamp. The star-points flickered dully on the murky water. Silence was the word. It was that difficult time; too late for the night-beasts to be out and too early for the day-creatures to awake.  
  
In the deepest part of the swamp, the tangled undergrowth gave way to trees, warped and slimy with moss. One massive tree stood apart from the others on twisted roots like those of a mangrove. The top section had formed what, from the outside, looked like a huge growth.  
  
On closer inspection, however, glass windows could be seen in the moss-grown wood. A twisted ladder made its way between the roots and up the tree-trunk. From the ladder, a small passageway led into the interior of the tree-building.  
  
The inside was formed of small rooms and passages, all leading into one vast cavern. A pale light glinted off wood, plant, the occasional piece of metal or glass, and a strange figure near the window.  
  
At his worktable, the being known as Dr. Viper carefully added the contents of an Erlenmeyer flask to a beaker of clear liquid. He swirled the beaker and smiled contentedly as the liquid turned from clear to pale red.  
  
"Exccccellent." purred Viper.  
  
A petri dish lay on the table nearby, holding a clump of slimy olive- colored matter. Viper looked over at it with an evil smile.  
  
"We'll have you ready ssssoon, little one."  
  
The cry of a swamp-bird, harsh and screeching, interrupted his thoughts, telling that dawn was not far away.  
  
The reptilian scientist growled quietly. He had been working all night and most of the previous day, and lack of sleep never improved his mood. But working overtime had definitely been worth it; the project was nearly ready.  
  
Viper put the beaker down and yawned deeply. Before he did anything else, he needed sleep.  
  
"Jusssst a little longer, precioussss." he told the cell cluster. Taking a pair of forceps, he carefully lifted it into a container and sealed the top. He'd put too much work into this to let anything happen.  
  
As he checked to make sure the laboratory was secure, Viper noted with annoyance that a number of ingredients were running low. A few canisters were nearly empty.  
  
"Guesssss that means another raid on the Biolabs ssssoon." Viper sighed.  
  
He started up the stairs.  
  
~~~  
  
Later that morning, the sun had risen burning bright. Now, a few clouds drifted across the green sky as the sun began to reach noon.  
  
The life-giving light shone down in white-gold rays, but here, there was precious little life to aid. The sun glittered dully on the piles of twisted metal that covered MegaKat Salvage Yard. Here and there, pieces of glass flashed like jewels.  
  
Near the edge of the salvage yard, the sun shone on the brick-and- concrete garage. Inside, a small, battered dark brown car rested with its hood up. A muscular tom-kat in a mechanic's uniform was fixing the engine. His straw-colored paws were smeared with grease and oil.  
  
"Chance!"  
  
Chance Furlong looked up as a lean tom-kat with dark orange fur came into the garage.  
  
"Jake, what is it?" He was unnerved by his friend's shocked, sick expression.  
  
Jake Clawson bit his lip uneasily. "We can stop working. Mr. Kitley doesn't need his car anymore."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Chance looked at him, confused, a wrench still clasped in his paw.  
  
Jake swallowed. "He's dead, Chance."  
  
There was a metallic clatter as the wrench hit the floor.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"They said it on the news just now. They found his body this morning."  
  
Chance took a deep breath. "Do they know how he died?"  
  
The smaller tom-kat sighed uncomfortably. "He was beaten to death. A mugging that turned deadly, they think."  
  
Chance said nothing. He remembered the nervous, impatient young tom- kat who had called for help yesterday. Now the kat would never pick up his car. His life had been torn away, for no reason. He'd make his next trip in a hearse.  
  
He hadn't known Martin Kitley, but that didn't make it right.  
  
"Might as well find out what they want with the car." He bent down to pick up the wrench, and sighed. "I hate when this happens."  
  
Jake stiffly turned to go back into the office.  
  
"Me too."  
  
~~~  
  
"And then she told him, 'Either give the movie up, or give me up!' At least, that's what I heard." the she-kat finished. Her audience gave a collective gasp.  
  
"Well, it's to be expected." one of her companions replied. "That marriage never looked stable. Then the pressure of always being in the spotlight. And him directing all those pretty actresses; anyone would get jealous."  
  
"These celebrity marriages." a third sighed. "Why do they even bother?"  
  
"I know." said the she-kat who had begun the story. She paused for a moment. "But enough about that. Have you heard about the businesskat who was found dead this morning?"  
  
That made her audience a little uncomfortable. Celebrity gossip was one thing, but death was a more difficult topic.  
  
"Yeah. Kirby or something." said one of her companions. "They found him in an alley, beaten to death." She paused uncomfortably. "But why is that so special?"  
  
The storyteller smiled coldly. "What's special is what they didn't say on the news. He died from injuries, true, but after he died, something got to him. His lips and tongue were all bitten up, like someone tried to chew them off."  
  
"Rats." a listener suggested nervously.  
  
"No; the teeth-marks were most definitely from a kat. They don't know who, or why, but I promise that's the truth."  
  
The other she-kats shifted uncomfortably in their seats.  
  
One looked at her watch and sighed. "Break's over. We gotta get back to work." There was a collective sigh as the she-kats got up and headed for the door of the small backroom.  
  
The leader looked over the group, and noticed that the ranks were one short. "Where's Danika?" she asked.  
  
Her companion gestured back towards the corner.  
  
A she-kat was hunched in a folding chair, her face hidden by the book she was reading. Like the rest, she wore an elegant black uniform with gold trimming, complemented by a pair of gold earrings shaped like lotus flowers. Her thin limbs were covered in pale silver fur, marked by dark gray tabby-stripes. She gave no indication of having heard anything.  
  
"Danika!" the leader snapped. "Time to get going!"  
  
The she-kat looked up, revealing a sharp, elegant face with dark hair pulled up in a ponytail. Her eyes were a brilliant purple color, and they flashed as she heard her name.  
  
"Okay, Lauren, I'm coming!" She gave a low growl and put down her book.  
  
"Reading those novels again? Danika, if you don't stop slacking, you won't have a job much longer!" Lauren sighed. "Why can't you talk with the rest of us instead of hiding off with your nose in a book?"  
  
Danika's violet eyes flashed coldly. "What business is it of yours what I do outside of work?"  
  
Lauren gritted her teeth. "I am not trying to boss you around, Danika. But if you want to stay here, you need to follow rules. You're not in school anymore, kitten."  
  
The younger she-kat fought the urge to bare her teeth at being called "kitten". She got up and went to the door.  
  
"No." she whispered. "I'm not in school anymore."  
  
She walked out of the room and into the smoky, flickering atmosphere that was the Sable Lotus nightclub. The strains of tonight's band mixed with the constant trickling of the black marble fountain. At the white- spread tables, clubgoers listened to the music and chatted about events Danika neither knew of nor cared about. It was her workplace, but that didn't mean she had to like it.  
  
Danika moved amongst the tables, taking drink orders and carrying them back to the bar with no emotion. On the few occasions when patrons tried to make conversation, she mumbled a polite excuse and moved on. It wasn't like they really cared about her thoughts.  
  
Her latest order of drinks ready, Danika picked up the tray and turned around . . . only to run straight into someone. The tray fell to the floor, splashing milk everywhere.  
  
"Oh gods, I am so sorry!" Danika exclaimed. She didn't need this trouble now. Not another blemish on her record.  
  
"Oh, think nothing of it. My fault entirely." the person replied. It was a female voice, and Danika paused to look at her.  
  
The she-kat standing before her was almost a head shorter than Danika. Her figure was heavier than what was popular in this age, the sort favored by Greek and Renaissance artists.  
  
Her fur was an extremely odd pattern. Over most of her body, it was purest white, but it darkened to light gold on her face and throat. Danika had seen kats with fur that grew lighter underneath, but never one whose fur did the opposite. In fact, she knew of no animal with coloring like that. It defied the trends of nature.  
  
The she-kat's light fur was vividly contrasted by thick, curly jet- black hair. She wore it up in a style Danika had seen only in pictures on Greek vases, but when let down, it would reach to the she-kat's waist. She had a perfectly round face that made her age hard to guess. As their eyes locked, Danika noticed that the she-kat had mismatched eyes: her right eye was a dark, cold cerulean, and her left was a fiery amber.  
  
"I do apologize for causing you trouble." she said. Her voice was low and raspy, and as ageless as her face. Danika started to apologize again, but something told her not to. She didn't need to. She just needed to clean this up, and not say anything.  
  
"I shall depart." the she-kat said, and walked away with a swirl of her long black gown.  
  
Snatching a towel from the bar counter, Danika bent down and began to clean up the spilled milk. She carefully picked up the black glass goblets, thanking whatever gods there were that only one had cracked. Her paycheck didn't need anything taken out.  
  
As she wiped up the milk, Danika noticed something odd. The milk had splashed a sizeable radius on the black-and-gold tile floor. There were even some sticky trails on Danika's leg-fur.  
  
But around the place where the strange she-kat had stood, the floor was completely dry. 


	3. Chapter 2: Suspicion

Dr. Viper had slept for almost an entire day, lapsing into a reptilian hibernation state that fully restored his energy. Now, in the dark before dawn, rested and impatient, he had returned to work.  
  
Night and day had no meaning for Viper, except where they dictated the activities of others. His life did not follow a schedule. He worked when he felt active, ate when he was hungry, and slept when he was tired. Other kats would have thought it odd, but what difference did that make?  
  
It had been a very long time since Viper had cared what others thought of him.  
  
He stood at a small pedestal formed of vines, in the center of his vast laboratory. A glass basin rested on the pedestal, filled with two inches of nutrient-rich solution. In his paw, Viper clutched the canister holding the lump of green-brown genetic matter. He'd made a few "additions" to it in the night, and now it was ready.  
  
Viper reached back to the worktable with his tail and grabbed a pair of forceps. He unscrewed the canister, and lifted out the slimy lump. Then, carefully, he placed it in the basin. It floated in the thick fluid.  
  
"Jusssst ssssit sssstill for a moment." Viper whispered. He darted over to the worktable and snatched the flask of pale red liquid. Yes, it was still potent. Leaning over the basin, he poured the entire flask over the lump. And he waited.  
  
This was the crucial moment, when he would finally know if his work had succeeded. Viper lived for this moment. There was no triumph like knowing an experiment was successful, and this one was special. Viper would have prayed, only he doubted the gods would approve of his doings.  
  
The lump was motionless for a moment. The red fluid seeped into the thick solution, like worms burrowing into the soil. The catalysts went to work.  
  
Then, quite suddenly, the lump began to grow. It turned from brown- green to gray-green, and took on a bulging, stretched shape. Stubby tentacles sprouted from the mass, flailing spasmodically. An indentation appeared, widening into a mouth-like opening. And Viper gave a roar of triumph as two tiny red eyes appeared above the mouth.  
  
"YESSSSSSS! The altercationsss to the old DNA pattern worked! Thissss creature will *not* have the ssssame weaknessssesss as the lasssst!" The reptilian kat chuckled. "Finally, I'll have ssssome real help around here."  
  
The tiny creature blinked its red eyes. Its body was growing steadily, slurping the nutrient solution like water. Already it had a distinctly mushroom-like shape, except for the tentacles. Its mouth opened and closed a few times.  
  
Viper grinned. "You're hungry, aren't you, little heterotroph? You should be; that ssssolution isssn't very filling. I'll go fetch you ssssome breakfasssst. You need to eat if you want to grow up big and sssstrong."  
  
The tiny mushroom-creature blinked as its creator left.  
  
~~~  
  
Late in the afternoon, Danika sat at a table in the middle of her small apartment. She had opened the curtains to allow the last sunlight in, and now lounged in a rolling chair that would not have looked out of place in an office. A heavy textbook entitled "Amphibian Life Cycles and Behaviors" rested in her lap, open to the two-thirds mark.  
  
This was Danika's favorite time of day, when she could be on her own, and open her mind to the natural world. Today it was amphibians. Tomorrow it might be birds, or insects. Danika didn't care; all animals were of interest to her. There was precious little animal life in the city, but through these books, she could see any creature she wanted.  
  
It *was* technically study, but that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy it.  
  
The skinny she-kat closed the textbook and placed it on the table, taking care to mark her place. The amphibian behaviors would have to wait. Another duty called.  
  
On the table in front of her was a ten-gallon aquarium, with blue-and- white gravel and a plastic weed. Swimming in the clear water were two goldfish.  
  
The larger one was a dark, rich fire-orange, with a brown stripe down her back. The smaller one was pale cream with patches of orange and black, almost like a tiny koi.  
  
"How goes it, fishfaces?" Danika asked. She opened a jar of fishfood and sprinkled some in the tank. The two fish swam for it, the big one gobbling and the smaller one nibbling daintily.  
  
"Kraken, you're getting big." she addressed the orange-and-brown female. It was true; Kraken was nearly as long as Danika's paw. The other fish, whom Danika called Homer, was about half Kraken's size, but he was still an impressive fish.  
  
"This tank's getting a little small for you guys. Too much good care." Danika chuckled. "Well, hopefully things will pick up soon. Then we can get you a bigger place, and maybe even some new friends. Would you like that, fishfaces?"  
  
Homer and Kraken only continued to swim and eat their food.  
  
Danika sighed. She hadn't expected an answer, naturally. She knew others would think her a freak for talking to her goldfish, but Danika had never really cared about what others thought. Besides, it was comforting to talk to someone, even if they didn't talk back. It was good to have other living creatures to care for.  
  
If nothing else, it kept her sane.  
  
Danika looked over at the clock, and saw with annoyance that it was almost time for her to go to the Sable Lotus. Getting up from the chair, she paused to glance at a photograph near the clock. A slender dark-haired she-kat gazed back with eyes as purple as Danika's own. One of the few pictures Danika had of her family.  
  
"I tried to get my dream, Mom." she whispered. "And I'm still trying."  
  
She raced quickly to the door, pausing to snatch a backpack off its hook by the wall. Danika always changed at work; the serving uniforms of the Sable Lotus were not travel clothes.  
  
Taking care to lock the apartment door, she went down to the parking area. A silver-and-black motorcycle rested a small ways apart from the other vehicles. Danika extracted a black helmet from the backpack, and slung the pack over her shoulders before mounting the motorcycle. A quick start, and she rode slowly down the street.  
  
~~~  
  
". . . So they should be getting engaged any day now."  
  
Having a friend who worked part-time at the news studio did have its advantages, Lauren thought as she finished telling her story to the other club employees.  
  
She looked down at her watch. "Aaaand it's time to get back to work." The others wordlessly got up and headed back into the club.  
  
Glancing back at the corner, she noticed with a rueful satisfaction that Danika was once again back in the corner, her face hidden by her book. Danika was not interested in restarting her shift. Right now, she was most curious about what Scout and Jem were going to do next.  
  
"Danika, you're back up!" Lauren called.  
  
With a sigh, Danika put down her book and headed for the door.  
  
Lauren grinned at her as she passed. "You never learn, do you?"  
  
Danika's only reply was a quiet snarl.  
  
Once again, she lapsed into the routine of quietly taking drink orders and politely avoiding conversation. The band was playing something slow and whimsical that Danika didn't recognize.  
  
When she reached a table near the huge fountain, Danika froze in surprise. Seated there was a middle-aged tom-kat in an elegant suit. He had thick ash-gray fur speckled with brown, and his dark hair was slicked back elegantly.  
  
"Danika, good evening." the kat said calmly, his dark amber eyes flickering.  
  
"Mr. Pallas!" Danika nervously addressed the owner of the Sable Lotus. "Why are you here?"  
  
"Oh, I like to come by and check up on things now and then." Mr. Pallas replied. "And I'm meeting with someone tonight."  
  
"Xavier, who's this?" came a female voice from behind Danika. She turned around, and found herself facing *her*.  
  
The strange she-kat with the mismatched eyes.  
  
"Ah, you're here!" Mr. Pallas exclaimed. "Danika, I'd like to introduce Madame Moria Cutter. Madame Cutter, this is Danika Rhoswen."  
  
The she-kat named Moria Cutter calmly sat down at the table with Mr. Pallas. Danika noticed that, in addition to her black gown, she was now wearing a silky dark red shawl, fastened at her throat with a gold brooch.  
  
"I believe we ran into each other last night." Moria Cutter replied, with a smirk at Danika. "Danika Rhoswen. A pretty name. Poetic."  
  
Danika said nothing. There was something in Moria Cutter's smile that set her teeth on edge.  
  
"I think so." Mr. Pallas said calmly. "Danika, did I mention? Madame Cutter is considering investing in the Lotus!"  
  
"That's if I find things to my liking." Moria Cutter replied. "Shall we discuss?"  
  
"Of course." Mr. Pallas replied hastily. "But first, why not sample the drink menu?"  
  
Moria Cutter's smile dimmed a little. "Just plain milk for me, thank you."  
  
"Certainly. The same for me, Danika."  
  
Fumbling for her pen, Danika quickly wrote the orders. She headed back towards the bar, but as she glanced back for a moment, she caught a glimpse of Moria Cutter smirking.  
  
Danika gritted her teeth. It was probably nothing, but something about that she-kat felt *wrong*. It wasn't her unusual looks; goodness knows Danika was not one to judge by appearances. It was the smug way she smiled, and the way Mr. Pallas listened to her so utterly. The Mr. Pallas who had hired Danika was a cool, businesslike kat who never let others command him. It was completely unlike him to give devotion to a stranger.  
  
But maybe Moria Cutter wasn't a newcomer. And Danika knew Mr. Pallas was not one to pass up a chance to get money. She sighed, decided to see things out, and resumed getting the drinks.  
  
The rest of the night passed in relative quiet. There wasn't much business. On any other night like this, Danika would have attempted to slip away and read more of her book. But tonight, she kept an eye on Mr. Pallas and Madame Cutter, trying to see if she could figure out what was going on. However, since she dared not get too close, she couldn't really *hear* anything.  
  
It wasn't until she saw Moria Cutter bid goodnight and head for the front door that she ventured forward to talk to Mr. Pallas.  
  
"So, how did things go?" she ventured innocently.  
  
"Well enough, I think." Mr. Pallas replied. "Madame Cutter seems to like the club. She's agreed to come by and talk some more tomorrow."  
  
"Ah." Danika wasn't quite sure how to phrase the question. "Mr. Pallas, who *is* Madame Cutter? I'm just curious."  
  
The gray tom hesitated for a moment. "I'm afraid I can't say exactly. We never really talked about that." He steeled himself. "And I can't see why it matters. The important thing is, she's taken a liking to the Lotus, and she wants to invest. That means improvements for all the employees."  
  
He locked her eyes. "Danika, I would prefer if you didn't tell the others about this. Madame Cutter wouldn't like it."  
  
Danika shifted uncomfortably. "Improvements" might be nice, but she wasn't sure if she wanted a stranger to be the one directing them. And she definitely did not like this Moria Cutter. But she valued her job, and agreed to keep silent.  
  
~~~  
  
In the shadows beside the front door of the Sable Lotus, Moria Cutter listened.  
  
She growled viciously. It was bad enough that the serving girl was suspicious of her. Now she was causing Pallas to question. This was *not* good. If she wanted to have a comfortable place in this nightclub, there could be no suspicion.  
  
"Why couldn't you just leave well enough alone?" Moria Cutter hissed under her breath. With a twirl that made her red shawl ripple like blood, she turned and walked out the door.  
  
~~~  
  
Everyone knew that Ozzie Lott and Danny Bola were bitter enemies. Their two street gangs had been fighting over the neighborhood as long as anyone could remember. So it had come as no surprise when they arranged a final showdown in the empty lot behind the apartments.  
  
They met at midnight, pumped and burning with hate. Challenges were issued and returned, and the fight began. Business as usual.  
  
No one knew who drew the first knife. No one knew who had brought the chain, or who picked up the broken bottle. In the heat of battle and bloodlust, no one ever notices details.  
  
The fight was over quickly, and five young tom-kats, Lott and Bola among them, lay dead. Their individual fur colors could not be told; they were all stained a uniform red, gleaming dully beneath the moon. The others, slashed and beaten, ran from the scene.  
  
No, it was nothing special.  
  
~~~  
  
From the darkness of the alley, the figure cackled gleefully. It was delightful to watch meals being prepared.  
  
The figure walked out of the shadows. The hooded black robe it wore, and the soundless way it moved, made it seem almost like a shadow itself. It crossed the street, and entered the lot where the bodies lay. Five fresh souls, young and savory with anger, left for the taking. It wasn't often such a treat was presented. Not often enough at all.  
  
The figure went up to the nearest body, almost slavering with delight. It sank teeth into dead lips, getting a good grip, and fed.  
  
The rush of power that followed was almost too much. More delicious than any mortal food, the hot energy drawn from a fresh soul. The figure *sucked*, desperate not to miss a single luscious trace.  
  
Alas, the kat's soul was devoured too quickly, as always. But what of it; four more juicy morsels waited. The figure got up and moved on to the next course.  
  
The last soul was just being devoured, when the sound of footsteps echoed from the alley.  
  
~~~  
  
Robert was an old resident of the neighborhood. On this night, as on every weekday night, he had come back from his late job to sleep for the day. It was his life cycle.  
  
The old tom walked tiredly along the pavement towards the apartment building. Like everyone else, he had known there would be a fight tonight. He gave a pained sigh. Why did the young ones hate? Why did they feel the need to kill? What did this violence accomplish?  
  
A flash of movement in the alley caught his eye.  
  
"Who's there?"  
  
He saw the figure in black, and froze.  
  
"Hey, who are you? What's going on?" He started towards the person. "You'd better get out of here before . . ."  
  
The figure turned, and faced him.  
  
An invisible force seized hold of Robert. He didn't even have time to scream before he was thrown against the wall. His head struck the brick with a sickening crack.  
  
The figure snarled quietly at the sight of the body.  
  
"Such a waste. Let that be a lesson to you, mortal. Do not interfere with Atropos." 


	4. Chapter 3: Rising Darkness

        The bus stopped with a screech of brakes. Danika picked up her backpack and made her way toward the front.  

_        "Bye, Mr. Garra." she called to the driver._

_        "See you tomorrow, Dan." the old kat replied with a smile. _

_        Danika raced up the stairs of the apartment building, her pigtails bobbing against her shoulders. At school that day, she'd received a perfect score on her science test, and she could hardly wait to show her mother. Too impatient to wait for the elevator, she raced up the two flights of stairs. The few neighbors she passed paid no attention to the young kitten. She was a familiar sight._

_        At the door of her family's apartment, Danika paused to dig the key out of her jacket pocket. Normally she would have rung the bell, but she wanted to surprise her mother. _

_        "Mom! The test came back; I got an A-plus!"_

_        The apartment was silent._

_        Confused, Danika looked around. "Mom? Are you home?"_

_        She left her backpack by the door. Her mother's jacket and keys were on their hook; she hadn't gone out. _

_        "Mom?"_

_        Danika made her way to the kitchen, and found it deserted. Growing nervous, she crossed the living room, making certain her mother wasn't there. Maybe she'd gotten tired and was taking a nap._

_        But her parents' bedroom door was ajar. The bed was carefully made, untouched. Danika turned and went back into the living room, when she noticed something._

_        The bathroom door was shut._

_        "Mom, are you in there?" Danika yelled, knocking frantically. _

_        No answer. There was a faint sour smell coming from inside the bathroom. Heart pounding, Danika shoved the door open._

_        Her mother lay huddled on the bathroom floor, an empty bottle of pills clutched in one paw. Trickles of gray vomit had dried on her peach-colored fur. The violet eyes she had given her daughter were wide and staring, glazed and blind, no more living than a doll's. _

_        Icy cold clutched Danika. She fell to her knees, shaking, gasping._

_        "Mom." she whispered, shaking the she-kat's body. "Mom, wake up! MOOOOOOM!"_

        Danika woke up.

        She stared into the darkness of her room, gasping as sweat ran through her fur. Finally she regained her calm, and curled down into the bed, hugging her pillow. 

        She wished it _was_ just a nightmare. But the young she-kat remembered that day all too well. She'd been twelve years old, well aware of her mother's misery, but she'd never imagined her mother would take her own life. 

        It was betrayal, pure and simple. Naomi Rhoswen had abandoned her daughter just when Danika needed her mother most.

        Danika sighed, hating herself for her selfish thoughts. She tossed and turned, trying to fall back to sleep, but knew it was useless. She reached out and flicked on the bedside light, and picked up her book. 

        The glare of the city lights came through the window, bathing the living room in a dull orange. Danika went over and closed the curtains, and now the only light was the clear fluorescence of Homer and Kraken's aquarium lamp. Danika smiled; this light was much nicer. The way the bluish glow reflected on the dark walls gave her the feeling of being underwater. 

        She curled up in an armchair, and tried to read a textbook. _Frogs have it easy,_ Danika thought bitterly. **_They're_**_ on their own from the start. They don't have to grow up watching their parents fight. And they don't have to lose one parent and run away from the other._

        The familiar bitterness calmed Danika. She went back to her bedroom to see if she could go back to sleep. But as she climbed back under the covers, the pain of the memory-dream came back to her.

        Well, if one memory of her mother could pain her, why shouldn't another calm her? Huddling down into the bed, Danika began to hum to herself. 

"The sun creeps west, its battle lost,

And bleeds a blood-red light.

In black defeat, it calls retreat

Before the wrath of night.

The golden evening star still shines

To fight the shadows' fall,

But dies at last, its spark o'ercast

By midnight's dreary pall.

The darkness dims the glowing moon

And binds it all in shade.

Each starbeam's face is cast from space.

The world is lost, afraid.

Now shadows rule the once-bright sky,

And darkness is the lord.

Cold midnight stalks the haunted walks

With shadow-poisoned sword.

The hours pass, still darkness reigns.

All hope seems lost and dead;

The cold of night has killed the light.

The world weeps in its bed.

But see now in the eastern sky,

From somewhere way afar,

A silver spark affrights the dark:

The silver morning star!

The dawnstar pierces through the shades;

In fear the shadows run.

The king no more, night flees before

The rising of the sun.

So never fear when darkness falls;

Keep hope and look afar.

In darkest night, there'll shine a light:

A silver morning star."

        Danika fell asleep. 

~~~

        Chance Furlong lounged in a chair in the garage's office, an open newspaper draped over his lap. He'd finished breakfast some time ago, and now was going about the process of scanning the news.

        If Chance had had his way, he would have turned to the comics first. But he knew the importance of being informed about what went on in the world, even the small things. In his case especially, it was _very _important to be informed. Besides, much of the news was good. It made him feel good to read about a peace breakthrough between warring nations, or the successful rescue of accident victims, or the development of a new medicine. It gave hope that problems could be solved.

        But not _this_ news.

        Chance gritted his teeth as he read the latest article. Two rival gangs had met last night, and at some point, the fight had turned deadly. Five had been killed, but that wasn't what bothered Chance the most. He was no stranger to death. But he knew, from his own youth in the lower-class neighborhoods, that the neighborhood kats had been aware of what would happen.

        "They _knew_." the tom growled under his breath. "They _knew_ they would kill each other. And they didn't do anything." If Chance had known how close his own thoughts were to Robert's, he would have cared little. Thoughts wouldn't bring back young kats who would never grow up, never hold jobs or raise families. Never live the lives they deserved.

        The big tabby sighed, and pushed the thought out of his mind. There were some problems even the SWAT Kats couldn't fix, and it did no good to dwell on them. He shifted in the chair, and continued reading. 

        A few seconds later, his green eyes widened in shock. The story had suddenly taken a very strange turn. "Buddy, I think you should take a look at this!" Chance called. 

        Jake came into the office, an oil-stained rag still in his paw. "What is it?"

        Chance quickly explained about the fatal fight, and winced inwardly as he saw a faint expression of sick horror spread across his friend's face. Unlike himself, Jake hadn't grown up dealing with neighborhood violence, and it pained him more acutely. 

        "And nobody _did _anything?" the lean tom-kat sighed.               

        Chance shook his head. "They never do. They just want to pretend that it doesn't happen." He looked up. "But there's something else. Another body was found at the scene: an old tom-kat, apparently a passerby."

        Jake growled under his breath. "It's not enough they're killing each other, they have to kill innocents too?" 

        "That's just it; they _didn't _kill him. He was thrown backwards into the wall, hard enough to practically shatter his skull. Only . . ." Chance hesitated. 

        "Only what?"

        The tabby paused, trying to decide how to phrase it. "When someone's attacked, you can usually tell. Their clothes are ripped, they have bruises, there are fingerprints, that sort of thing. But aside from the fractured skull, this guy didn't have any marks on him. No one touched him." 

        Jake narrowed his eyes and snorted quietly. "So an old tom was strong enough to throw himself _backwards_ into a wall with enough force to crack his skull?" 

        "I know; it doesn't make sense to me either." Chance sighed. "It's probably just one small incident, but . . ."

        ". . . But in MegaKat City, a strange incident is _never _small." Jake finished.

        The two toms looked at each other and gave a quiet, mirthless chuckle. 

~~~

        Business was slow that evening at the Sable Lotus. Lauren and the other waitresses had seemed able to handle the orders, so Danika had taken the opportunity to sneak away and read some more of her book. Now she sat hunched over on a stool at the back of the bar, her violet eyes locked on the pages. As always happened when she read, she had sunk into a dream-world, blocking out the sounds of reality. In her mind, she could see and hear the characters just as if she were in their world, invisible and watching. It was an enjoyable habit, but unfortunately, it had evolved out of necessity in her kittenhood, to drain out the sounds of her parents' fights. 

        _I wish **I'd**_ _had a father like Atticus, _she thought bitterly. 

        A paw on her shoulder snapped her out of her dreams and memories. She looked up to see a tom about three or four years her senior standing beside her. He had caramel-gold fur flecked with black dots, a perfect complement to the black-and-gold busboy's outfit he wore, and very golden eyes. 

        "Hi, Danika." he said nervously, in a shaky tenor voice.    

        "Um, hi Jay." Danika replied, doing her best to bite down her annoyance.    

        He grinned nervously. "What're you reading?" 

        "_To Kill A Mockingbird._" she answered flatly, hoping to indicate she did not want to talk.

        Jay, however, did not take the hint. "Is it good?"

        "Yes." 

        "Oh, that's nice." Jay shifted his feet. "It's nice to see you happy. You're so quiet all the time."

        Danika shrugged. "Well, no one talks about things I'm interested in." She hoped he wasn't going to continue the conversation. She'd seen the way he watched her, the way his eyes glittered like embers. She sincerely hoped he wasn't going to bring up the subject now.

        "We could talk, if you want to. I might like the same things." He paused for a moment. "Um, Danika, I was wondering . . . do you . . . maybe want to meet sometime before work? Like, have a drink or something?" 

        The silver she-kat sighed. "Jay, I'm sorry." 

        She felt a sharp pang of guilt as she saw his broken expression. 

        "It's nothing personal!" she insisted. "I just . . . don't date. Anyone. We could talk at work sometime, though. Or as friends. But I can't go out."

        Jay shifted again. "Okay." he said quietly. "Okay. Maybe some other time." He shrugged, and turned to go. "Enjoy your book!" he called back over his shoulder.

        Danika sighed, decided she wasn't going to be able to read anymore, and picked up her pad and pen to see if she could help with orders.

        It wasn't that she didn't _like_ Jay Guarre. He was a gentle soul, and one of the few kats at the Lotus close to her age. But Danika had long ago promised herself that she wouldn't date until she was absolutely sure she could make it on her own. It would be too easy to become dependent on her partner otherwise. Besides, if and when she did decide to date someone, it would not be Jay Guarre. Nice as he was, he was too . . . easy. He let himself be pushed around. Danika's respect, for toms and she-kats alike, went to those who were independent, who neither followed nor commanded. 

        She just hoped Jay wouldn't be depressed over the rejection. He might bother her sometimes, but he was a nice person, and she didn't like hurting him.  

        Walking amongst the sparsely populated tables, she noticed with a little surprise that Mr. Pallas was once again seated near the fountain. But he was alone, and he looked irritated.

        "Good evening, sir." she said politely. 

        "Danika, have you seen Madame Cutter this evening?" Mr. Pallas snapped, not at her so much as at the air. 

        Danika didn't need to pause. The short, round-faced she-kat with unnatural fur and mismatched eyes would have been easy to spot on such an empty evening. "Not tonight, Mr. Pallas." she replied. 

        "She was supposed to come by tonight and discuss investment plans!" the gray tom muttered. He growled impatiently and drummed his fingers on the table. 

        "I'm sorry." But Danika was not sorry at all. If Moria Cutter had broken off the meeting, that might mean she had lost interest in the Sable Lotus! There was something about that she-kat that made Danika both annoyed and fearful, and she would be glad if she left. 

        _With my luck, she's probably just delayed,_ Danika thought bitterly. 

        "In the mean time, can I get you anything to drink?"

        "A cold cream." Mr. Pallas sighed. "With a twist of lime, if you please." He looked away and drummed his fingers some more.

        Danika wrote carefully, a little surprised that her employer was ordering such hard liquor. Moria Cutter must have her claws in tight to make him so upset over her absence. Uneasy, Danika went back to the bar to get the drink. 

        _And while I have the pen, I might as well write some notes of my own. I have to remember to take the 'cycle to the garage tomorrow; the engine's rattling. _

        As was her habit, Danika scribbled the note on the fine fur that covered the back of her left paw, where she would be sure to see it. 

~~~

        Night at a small grocery store in downtown MegaKat City. Moria Cutter walked through the aisles with her basket, pausing to examine items before taking them. She had exchanged her gown for black jeans and a blouse a few shades darker than her left eye, with her black curls reaching to her waist in a braid. She made little noise as she walked, doing all she could to avoid the notice of the few other customers. Right now, she had other things on her mind.

        Young Miss Danika Rhoswen, for instance. 

        If there was one thing Moria Cutter hated more than all others, it was for her plans to be interfered with. Influence over Xavier Pallas and his club was of great importance to her, and hearing Danika put doubt in his mind had bothered her immensely. 

        She knew that Pallas would never take a mere serving girl's word over hers, but Moria Cutter was old and wise enough to know that meddlers would always meddle again. Danika was suspicious of her, and she could not afford that, however petty it might be. Small suspicions had felled empires. 

        Besides, Moria Cutter came of the breed that held grudges.

        The crash of the door, and a scream from one of the other customers, interrupted her thoughts. Moria ducked behind the shelves to watch. 

        An armed kat in a ski-mask had entered the store. After ordering the customers to freeze, he turned his gun on the cashier and demanded the contents of the register. The cashier, an elderly she-kat on the edge of retirement, quickly complied. 

        The gunkat growled under his breath at the meager amount. Even so, he shoved the money into a bag, and started to go. But suddenly, he paused. He turned back to the cashier, and with a spiteful grin, shot her.

        The she-kat fell without a sound, and the gunkat fled.

        The customers stared, frozen, unable to believe the horrific scene they had witnessed.

        "Oh gods." one kat whispered, her basket clattering to the floor. "Oh gods."

        "I'm calling the Enforcers." said another. He started to go towards the phone, when Moria Cutter stepped out from her hiding place.

        Her lips did not move, but all the kats present heard her words. "Nothing has happened. You saw nothing. There is no cause to worry. Be still and do not move."

        When the entire store had believed her, Moria Cutter allowed herself a smile. She went to this store all the time to get food for her body. She'd never imagined it could feed her other hungers as well.

        The night was certainly looking up.

        Moria Cutter walked over to where the old cashier's body lay. Her soul, raw and sharp with fear, was still lingering. Smiling, she knelt down, paused to wipe lipstick off the corpse's mouth, and began to feed.


	5. Chapter 4: Betrayal

**Chapter 4**

**_Betrayal_**

      Jake Clawson leaned against the side of a car, a newspaper in his paws. He was supposed to be repairing the car, but Chance had gone out to get supplies, and he had agreed to do the morning news-scan.  

      The lean tom-kat closed his eyes and sighed as he read this particular article. He reflected that there was a _reason _Chance usually did the reading; the tabby didn't feel the small pains quite so acutely. Or rather, he handled them better. 

      It was a distressing experience for Jake to read about small crimes and innocent lives lost. All the more so because he knew their deaths were unlikely to be avenged. The SWAT Kats and the Enforcers could fight the big threats, like the supervillains, but there was a world of smaller evils scurrying underneath that they simply couldn't reach. 

      Like this story. There had been an armed robbery at a grocery store, and the thief had killed the cashier even though she complied. Jake bared his teeth in a silent snarl. 

      But as he read on, his eyes grew wide. There had been seven kats present in the store at the time of the robbery/murder, but not a single one could remember what had happened. They had been going about their shopping, and then each one described a blank space, and waking up to find the cashier dead. One had said "It was like someone told my brain nothing had happened." 

      Jake had never heard of such a memory-wipe outside of the movies. He supposed there were chemicals that could cause such an effect, but why would a simple robber go to such trouble? 

      The last thing the article mentioned was that the corpse's lipstick had been smeared. Jake read the piece over again several times, trying to find any indication of what had caused the group's memory loss. He made a mental note to tell Chance about this story, hoping sincerely that it was one small incident.  

      _But in MegaKat City, a strange incident is **never **small. _

Jake set that section of the paper aside, and began to read the others. He groaned quietly as he skimmed the business section. From one piece of bad news to another. 

      _Space Kat_ was making a sequel game. 

      When Chance had beaten the first game, Jake had hoped he would finally be free. But now, with the upcoming release of _Space Kat II: Empire of Nemear_, he had no doubt that the sound of battling spaceships would once again fill the garage. 

      He suspected Chance already knew, but if not, he might as well tell him himself. He could keep off the inevitable only so long. 

      The sound of scattering gravel made him look up. Coming up the drive, he could see a sleek silver-black motorcycle, driven by a figure in a black helmet. Jake put down the paper and got up quickly. 

      "Can I help you?" he called.

      The motorcycle stopped, and the rider climbed off and removed their helmet. Jake was a little surprised to see that the rider was a she-kat, and one about three or four years his junior. 

      "My engine's been rattling for a few days." She shook out her dark hair, making it flash red in the sunlight. "I don't know what's wrong with it."

      Jake listened, but his eyes were on the motorcycle. He liked motorcycles; building and riding the Cyclotrons had been one of his greatest pleasures. This motorcycle was an older model, aiming for speed rather than power. It looked slightly familiar. 

      When he read the brand name, his eyes lit up. 

      "It's never given me trouble before, but I'm not really surprised." the she-kat continued. "It's pretty old." 

      "I'll say!" Jake exclaimed. "This is a Duhar-360 first edition. They're really rare, and they're quite valuable in some circles." 

      "I wouldn't know." the she-kat replied coldly, though there was a twinge of surprise in her voice. "I bought it secondhand three years ago. I just liked the color." 

      Jake took note of her dark hair and silver fur, and could understand. "Well, it's only in the last few years that their value's increased." He knelt down and began to examine the engine admiringly. "There's probably a part loose inside. If you could just fill out some stuff, we'll take a look at it and call you as soon as it's fixed."

      The she-kat nodded stiffly in answer.

      Jake was loath to leave the Duhar-360, but he darted into the office and retrieved the customary information form. He handed it to the she-kat, who filled it out quickly and returned it without a word. 

      "We're kind of busy now, but since we have your number, Miss . . . ?"

      "Rhoswen. Danika Rhoswen." 

      "We have your number, Miss Rhoswen, and we'll call you as soon as the 'cycle's fixed."

      "Thank you." Danika replied. "I should go now."  

      "Do you need any help getting back?" Jake asked. 

      "No thanks." she said with a shrug. "I like walking." 

      It wasn't quite true, but Danika didn't like to accept help from strangers, no matter how nice they were about it. Besides, it was a warm, clear day, and she was defended, she reminded herself as she patted her jacket. 

      With a polite nod in Jake's direction, she began to walk back down the drive. 

      The tom watched her go. "Why is she so cold?" he wondered aloud. 

      He shook his head quickly, and quickly began to gather the tools needed to repair the motorcycle engine. She might be cold, but she had good taste in machines.  

~~~

      They knew her as Madame Moria Cutter. A fitting name, and one she was proud of inventing. It sounded ordinary, barely worth a turn of the head. Of course, anyone who knew her _other _name would have spotted the allusion instantly, but fortunately, modern kats had all but forgotten the ancient myths, and those who knew her as Atropos were not characters who would have been welcome in the Sable Lotus. 

       Atropos, Moria Cutter to the circles of society, leaned forward on the table, sipping absently at the goblet of skim milk. She did not drink liquor as a rule; it clouded the senses, and she could not afford that. But sitting here without a drink would have aroused suspicion, so she had compromised. 

      Suspicion. 

      Atropos growled quietly, her keen eyes fixed on the thin, dark-haired figure standing near the bar. Pallas was going to be annoyed with her for missing the meeting last night, and while she could easily "convince" him it was all a misunderstanding, she did _not _need meddlesome Danika Rhoswen to endanger things. 

      But soon there would be no more of that.

      The black-garbed she-kat allowed herself a smile. She had not been idle today. After resting from her nightly scavenging, she had made some vital purchases. Now all she needed was a puppet. 

      Her blue and amber eyes glittered as she looked out over the kats in the club. No, a patron would not work; it had to be someone Danika knew. She picked out black-and-gold uniforms, dismissing the bartender and checker as too old and important. The closer to Danika's age and rank, the better. 

      Her eyes came to rest on a busboy standing near the door. He was young, with black-dotted caramel fur and a lanky build, and he seemed quiet and harmless to Atropos's practiced eye. 

      _Yes, that's good_. 

      He seemed to be watching something. His dark gold eyes were glittering greedily. Atropos followed his gaze, and had to stifle laughter as her gaze joined his on the silver-furred she-kat by the bar. 

      Yes, he would serve perfectly. 

~~~

      Jay Guarre gave a deep sigh as he leaned against the wall. It would soon be time for him to go home, but he was barely aware of the time. 

      It had taken him so long to get up the courage to ask Danika out. She might be pretty, but her coldness was intimidating. He really shouldn't have been surprised that she rejected him. But she might at least have agreed to have a drink! 

      The young tom gritted his teeth as he watched her. She _was_ pretty. Most she-kats would kill to be that skinny. And her hair was such an odd shade; it looked raven-black, but when touched by light, it would flash red. 

      Jay was so absorbed with watching Danika that he didn't notice the figure standing before him until she reached up and tapped his shoulder. Really _reached _up; she couldn't be more than five feet tall. Jay looked down at the she-kat in front of him. 

      About forty years old, she was richly dressed, though too fat for his tastes. But she was obviously someone important, so he snapped to attention. 

      "Yes, ma'am?" 

      The she-kat smirked. "I'd like to complement your management on this club. Such exotic decoration, and a nice selection of drinks. Very nice."

      Jay shifted nervously. "Um, thank you."

      She smiled gently, like a doting mother. "What's your name, young sir?"

      "Jay Guarre." He wondered what she wanted. 

      "You're a nice boy, Jay. Will you come back and talk to me? Your shift is nearly over, I believe."

      Jay started to object, but then he paused. It was as if he'd heard a voice inside his head. She was someone important. It was his job to keep the patrons pleased. He would be leaving soon anyway. 

      He really couldn't believe he had ever considered resisting her request. 

      Barely aware of where he was going, he followed the sound of the she-kat's voice. When they stopped, they were in a dark place, and if there was any background noise, Jay didn't hear it. All his attention was focused on the strange she-kat's voice, which seemed to come from inside his head. 

      _You're upset about something, aren't you?_

"Yes." he replied flatly. It was true.

      _That's too bad. Such a nice young tom as you deserves to be happy. Is it trouble with a girl?_

Jay chuckled. "Or lack of trouble, you might say."

      _Ah yes. She spurned you, didn't she? _

"Yes." The word was bitten out. 

      _You were polite enough to ask her out. She should have been grateful, but no, she turned you down flat!_

"Ungrateful little bitch." Jay snarled. 

      _Ah yes. And what is her name?_

Jay was still. "Danika. Danika Rhoswen."

      _Don't you think Danika should suffer for hurting you? Shouldn't she be punished? _

"Yes!" Jay exclaimed. It was so obvious, why hadn't he realized it before?

      _Because you're such a nice tom who deserves his revenge, I'll help you. _

Jay felt something cold, heavy, and metallic pressed into his paw. 

      _Take this, and punish Danika tonight. Remember, this is your** right**_. 

      Jay slid the heavy thing into his jacket, and instantly his mind cleared. He was in a storage room in the back of the club, and he was alone. When he tried to picture the face of the she-kat, it was blurry and fleeting. All he could remember was that she had one blue eye and one amber eye. 

      But she was so right! Danika should be punished, and he should be the one to do it. It was his_ right. _Patting the weight inside his jacket, Jay went back out. 

~~~

      Atropos zipped her handbag closed and draped her crimson shawl across her shoulders. She'd known by watching him that Jay Guarre would be easy to manipulate, but the emotions she'd read in the tom's mind had been more perfect than she could have imagined. 

      It had been too easy, really. There was so little resistance in kats these days. While it _was_ convenient for her chosen puppets to serve her willingly, it became boring. Just once in this lifetime, she would like a strong mind to challenge. 

      Oh well, there would be time for that later. 

      The sight of the tom coming out of the back room was her cue to leave. It would not do for him to remember her. If he were ever questioned, it would be . . . inconvenient. 

      Atropos, Moria Cutter to society, walked stealthily toward the door. Her drink would be added to her tab, which she would never have to pay. 

      As she left the Sable Lotus and started down the street, she suddenly paused, and looked back. She gave a cruel smile, and her fangs gleamed in the streetlight. 

~~~

      The hands on the black-and-gold clock over the stage reached midnight. Relieved that her shift was over, Danika took her bag into the ladies' room and quickly changed into her jeans and T-shirt, taking care to fold her uniform. 

      She paused for a moment, and reached inside her jacket. From the inner pocket, she pulled out a medium-sized switchblade knife. The thick handle was encased in black leather. She pressed the button with a smile, and five inches of silvered steel glittered in the bathroom light. 

      Danika carried the knife whenever she went out. She'd never been able to take self-defense classes, and she relied on the switchblade to protect herself in the streets. It was remarkably effective; a calm flash of the blade made most kats think twice about threatening her. 

      Silver-Fang had yet to taste blood. 

      Danika slid the blade back in, and returned the switchblade to her pocket. She returned her mind to the more pressing matter of getting home without her motorcycle. It had been easy enough to get a bus that evening, but at this late hour, it would be hard seeking. She could take a taxi, but Danika disliked the idea of paying a high fee for getting home. Still, as she left the Sable Lotus, she decided there was little choice.  

      "Danika?"

      She paused with a sigh. Jay Guarre was standing in the shadows by the club's door, watching her. "What is it, Jay? I really have to go now."

      "I noticed you didn't drive your motorcycle tonight."

      "No, it's in for repairs." She started to walk on.

      "Do you need a ride home?" the young tom asked quietly. 

      Danika froze. Slowly, she turned back to Jay. "You'd be willing to drive me?"

      "Yes." Again, there was no emotion in his voice.

      Danika shifted uncomfortably. She would have thought Jay would still be upset with her. 

      "You sure, Jay? I was just going to get a cab."

      "I'm sure."

      She felt a little more comfortable. She'd worked alongside Jay Guarre for five months, and it really wasn't like him to hold grudges. And if anything came up, she had her switchblade. 

      "Okay. I'll take you up on that offer." she replied, and forced a smile. 

      Jay said nothing. He started toward the parking lot, and Danika followed him to the battered gray sedan she knew he drove. It was an inheritance from an uncle or a cousin; she'd forgotten which. 

      "It really is nice of you to do this." Danika remarked as she climbed into the passenger seat. "I thought you were still upset." 

      Again, Jay said nothing, but only started the engine and drove out of the parking lot. 

      "It really isn't personal." she continued. "I _do _like you. I'm just not dating right now." 

      Jay was silent. 

      Danika clutched her bag a little tighter. While she was glad that Jay wasn't bringing up the subject, his stony silence was unnerving. She was glad the drive would be a short one. 

      "I live on Corten Street. But you can just drop me off at the corner." 

      Jay continued to drive.

      Danika counted off the streets they passed. Barking. North Claw. Griffer. Hagertail. Quidsby; she chuckled a little at that one. 

      Up ahead, she spied the sign marking Corten Street. "Here it is. I can just get off here; it's a short walk."

      Jay didn't slow the car. He kept on driving as though he hadn't heard her.

      "Jay, you missed it!" she snapped. "Just stop here; I'll walk."

      The tom kept driving.

      "Jay, stop right now!"

      He didn't.

      "Jay, are you deaf?! JAY!" 

      But he remained silent.

      With a snarl, Danika lunged out and struck Jay across the cheek, leaving three deep slashes. He didn't so much as blink. 

      Terror filled Danika. She knew that if a kat did not respond to pain, it meant only one thing. They had lost their mind. She started to reach for her switchblade. 

      Jay's movement was so quick that she never saw it. The next instant she looked up, and found herself staring down the barrel of a handgun. 

      Jay spoke. "You hurt me, Danika Rhoswen. I need to punish you. It's my _right._" 

      Danika felt the fur on the back of her neck rise. She wanted to throw herself at Jay and claw his tongue out! But if she had no doubt that if she moved, he would shoot her. There was nothing to do but wait for him to let his guard down. Wait for the chance to strike back. 

      But Danika was very afraid. If Jay was insane enough not to flinch when she scratched him, what would he do to her?

~~~

      The gray sedan drove south through MegaKat City, never changing its speed. If anything, the steady pace scared Danika more. There was very little traffic, and she dared not move to open the door and call for help. Besides, she doubted bitterly that anyone would help her. 

      It was a nightmare ride. If Danika so much as turned her head, Jay would jab the gun at her. He didn't seem to be watching her, but somehow he followed her every move. He was certainly giving her no chance to attack. 

      When they reached the outskirts, the car sped up slightly. Danika's eyes flitted to the road. There _was _a way to fall out of a car without getting hurt, she remembered, but she didn't know how to do it. And she couldn't move to unfasten her seatbelt without risking being shot. She could feel her muscles ache from keeping still. 

      Suddenly, the car slowed down. Out of the corner of her eye, Danika could see they were now on a dirt road. Twisted trees rose up on both sides, overgrown with moss and vines. 

      Jay had taken her to MegaKat Swamp. 

      Danika started to shiver. In the city, there had been some hope of aid. Out here, she was alone. Jay could kill her, throw her body in the swamp, and no one would ever know. 

      _If I die, who'll feed Homer and Kraken?_

That bizarre thought snapped Danika out of her fear-trance. She growled and watched Jay intently, waiting for his next move. 

      Jay stopped the car at the foot of a massive tree, hiding it beneath the tree's shadow. Still pointing the gun at Danika, he opened the door with his free paw and climbed out, indicating for her to do the same. 

      Danika took that chance to slip her paw inside her jacket. Her fingers closed around the comforting shape of the switchblade, but she dared not draw it. She climbed slowly out of the car. 

      Through the misty darkness, she could see Jay standing by the tree's roots. His amber fur glittered dully as he beckoned to her with the gun. 

      Danika growled, and tightened her grip on the knife. In the gloom, she had no way of knowing if Jay could see her or not. Run now, and he'd almost certainly shoot her as she ran. If she went close to him, she might get a chance to strike. 

      If worst came to worst, it was better to go down fighting. 

      Slowly, Danika walked over to Jay.       

      "I have to punish you." he repeated. "This is my _right._" 

      Danika shivered. He should have sounded angry, or sad. But his voice was completely devoid of emotion. He sounded like a kitten reciting lines. Or a robot. 

      She was suddenly reminded of the last time she had seen her father, almost twelve years ago. Her mother had been two days in her grave, and her father had spoken in that same flat, empty voice as he loomed over the twelve-year-old kitten, pointing a broken bottle at her throat. A mindless, soulless shell, all the more dangerous for its emptiness. She'd run away that same night, run to her grandparents' house in the MegaKat suburbs, thinking she could escape. She'd been wrong. 

      Now it was happening again. Only this time, she couldn't run away.


	6. Chapter 5: Pattern and Feeding

**Chapter Five**

**_Pattern and Feeding_**

        The clock at Enforcer Headquarters had passed midnight some time ago. Commander Ulysses Feral leaned back at his desk, a mug of coffee untouched before him as his yellow eyes scanned one file again and again. A stack of paper rested beside the coffee. 

        Feral knew that it was unhealthy for him to work so late into the night. Felina would scold him, a rather hypocritical act since she routinely did the same. But it couldn't be helped; there was simply too much work to do for him to serve regular hours. Reports had to be read and filed, crime scenes had to be investigated, and inspections had to be made. 

        Fortunately, MegaKat City had seen no wide-scale attacks for several months, but that only made Feral more suspicious. In his long years of experience, such a lull nearly always ended with a sudden and extremely vicious attack. Feral did his best to keep the Enforcer units ready, but state of constant alert simply wasn't possible. 

        The Enforcers had been created to protect the citizens of MegaKat City from small crime, like fights and petty theft. It wasn't until the appearance of the "supervillains" that they had become the paramilitary force they were today. Consequently, one group now had to fight _two _battles. And to Feral, it often seemed that they were losing both.

        If the Enforcers kept on alert for supervillain attacks, they could not stop the small crimes. If they raced about fixing the small problems, they were left unprepared in the event of an attack. 

        That was why this report bothered Feral so much.

        "It makes no sense!" he muttered. "Seven eyewitnesses to a robbery/homicide, and none has the slightest memory of what happened?" 

        The dark-furred commander gave a frustrated growl. It wasn't the death that bothered him; Feral had long since learned not to care personally for the people he tried to protect. But these little things constantly reminded him that the Enforcers were not fulfilling their job. Crime still ran through the city.

        But the collective memory loss of the witnesses still stuck in Feral's mind, as did the detail that the corpse's lipstick was smeared, and her lips and tongue had borne the teeth-marks of a kat. Though he would never have shown it, Feral agonized over these details, for one simple reason.

        It had happened before.

        The sound of boots on the office floor made the commander look up. His niece, Lt. Felina Feral, marched into the room (_without knocking,_ Feral noted with an inner frown) with a sheaf of paper in her paw. 

        "Report, Lieutenant?" 

        "A disturbance, Uncle, less than half an hour ago. One dead, one injured." She placed the report on the desk. "Apparently, a fight broke out between two kats at a bar downtown. Both were stabbed repeatedly. One died from a stab to the chest. The other, we've sent to the hospital. He's in critical condition, survival uncertain."

        Commander Feral stifled a sigh. Yet another reminder of how his organization was failing. "Any witnesses?"

        To his surprise, Felina looked uncomfortable, a strange feeling for the vivacious, easy-going she-kat. "Uncle, I think you should come down to the scene. It's . . . it's strange."

        Feral narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

        Felina hesitated. "The bar was fairly full when the fight broke out, so there should have been a lot of witnesses. But none of the kats we've talked to can remember a single thing! They all say there's a blank space in their minds, just before they found the one kat dead."

        Feral gritted his teeth. "Felina, did the units observe anything resembling bite-marks on the corpse's mouth?"

        The raven-haired she-kat recalled. "Yes. It was assumed they came from the fight."

        "I'll be down there right away." The commander rose quickly to his feet. As he did so, he sighed. "It's happening again."

        Felina started for the door, a little surprised at her uncle's quick response, when she caught the last sentence. 

        "Happening again?"

        As they headed down the hallway, Feral explained. "These collective memory-losses have happened before. It always happens in connection with a homicide. The corpse is always found with bite-marks on the lips and tongue, and if there are witnesses present, they can never remember seeing the murder." He frowned. "A few times, however, it's been worse, and witnesses have been found killed as well. Always by having their heads slammed against a hard surface."

        Although she was not a kat who frightened easily, Felina had to fight down a small shudder. "Is there any pattern in timing?"

        Her uncle was quiet for a moment. "No direct one. It only becomes noticed every few years or so, although I'm certain it happens in between. And as soon as it makes the news, it halts."

        "Like the person becomes careless, and then realizes they were." Felina remarked. "And you don't know who's behind the instances?"

        Feral sighed. "No. There are never any clues."

        Felina's eyes narrowed as the two kats climbed into an Enforcer sedan. "I don't like this, Uncle."

        "Neither do I."

~~~

        Midnight over MegaKat Swamp. 

        Dr. Viper picked his way through the tangled undergrowth, taking care not to make his presence known. It was very unlikely that any other kats were around, but there was no sense in being careless. 

        "Hurry up!" he hissed back over his shoulder. 

        A mass of blue-green fungus oozed over the muddy ground. Finally, it stopped just behind Viper, and began to shape itself.

        In the last few days, under Viper's care and feeding, the new mushroom-monster had grown tremendously in size, though it was still not to its full growth. In shape it was not very different from the previous mushroom-monster, but its body was pale blue-green rather than the rather poisonous green of its predecessor. Its mushroom-like cap was a dark greenish-gray. However, it did have the same faintly glowing red eyes, both of which were focused intently on its master.

        "Now lissssten carefully." Viper whispered. "I've already exsssplained thissss, but becaussse you're young, I'll ssssay it again. We're going into the ccccity to get ssssupplies and plant sssspecimens. You will be quiet, do what I tell you, and not eat anyone unlesssss I order it." 

        Viper's eyes glowed faintly as he remembered some of the last fungus monster's mistakes. He knew that the creatures could have remembered his commands better if he'd given it more intelligence, but doing that could be dangerous. It wouldn't do to have a slave who could think for itself. 

        "Remember, you musssst be _quiet!_" 

        The young fungoid mumbled eagerly to show that it understood. Viper made a "follow me" gesture, and the two mutants continued north through the swamp.

        As the boggy ground began to give way to firmer, drier earth, Viper watched the familiar line of trees ahead. That was the marker for the tiny dirt road that ringed the swamp. There would be no one on the road at this late hour, and he and his creature could easily follow the road to the small farm nearby, and from there to the drain that would take them into the city sewer system. Yes, a clean job, quickly in and quickly out. Viper liked that. 

        But as they neared the side of the road, Viper noticed the familiar scent of car exhaust. There was no sound of driving, so he looked through the tangled trees. 

        The reptilian scientist hissed in quiet anger. 

        There was a car parked on the road. A little farther on, two kats were standing in front of another grove of trees. Viper's night-vision adjusted, and he could make out their forms: a spotted tom-kat, and a she-kat with long dark hair. The tom seemed to be pointing at the she-kat, who had one paw inside her jacket. 

        Viper growled and started to go in another direction. It wouldn't be hard to creep past the two kats, and if the kats went any deeper into the swamp, he'd left creatures behind who would gladly deal with them.  

        Suddenly, a flash of metal caught Viper's eye. He looked back, and saw moonlight glinting off a gun in the tom-kat's paw.

        Viper's entire body tensed. In the last four years, he'd had a total of six encounters with murderers leaving bodies in the swamp, and it irritated him no end. He couldn't have cared less about the murders themselves, but a criminal who went free could be captured and made to confess, which meant evidence teams combing the swamp, and the danger of his laboratory being found. In each of the previous meetings, Viper had quickly seized the killers and, if he'd been assured they were no one important, had left an extra body for the swamp creatures to feed on. 

        A reptile must protect his lair. 

        The mutated scientist bit down a snarl, and turned to the bulky fungoid beside him. "Thissss is your firsssst asssssignment, my pet." Viper hissed to his creature. He pointed toward the road. "Get the kat with the gun."

        The monster babbled gleefully and oozed/ran through the trees toward the road. Viper followed at a distance, his thick tail lashing slightly in anticipation. He heard the tom's voice, the first time either of the kats had spoken.

        "I have to punish you. This is my _right_."

        Viper shivered involuntarily at the tom's flat, robotic voice. He'd never heard a kat who wasn't insane or drugged speak that way. There wasn't a trace of emotion; the kat might have been reciting a memorized line. 

        A snapping of twigs and a splash told Viper that the mushroom-monster had reached the roadside ditch. He watched the events that followed from behind a tangle of branches, waiting.

        The fungoid gave a guttural roar and lashed a tentacle toward the tom-kat with the gun. The tom trembled strangely, and looked back for a moment. In that instant, the she-kat whipped something out of her jacket and struck the tom across the wrist of his gun-paw. He screamed in pain and terror, and the she-kat leapt away into the grove of trees. After a few moments, there was a loud _crack_.

        Meanwhile, the tom had whirled around, and was watching the mushroom-monster with terrified confusion. He glanced at his surroundings frantically, reminding Viper of someone who had just come out of a deep sleep. The kat stared at the gun in his paw as if he had no idea how it had gotten there, and then quickly fired several shots. The creature bellowed in surprise, but the bullets embedded harmlessly in its spongy flesh. Growling, it threw all its tentacles around the tom, locking him in an iron grip. 

        Viper gave a small smile; the creature had done well for a newborn. Now he would find out who this kat was and what he was up to - but wait, the monster's red eyes were glowing, and it was opening its huge mouth . . . 

        "Not yet!" Viper shrieked, racing to the scene. 

        But he was too late. There were several wet _chomps_, and then all that remained of the spotted tom was a few scraps of fur and the empty gun.       

        Viper kicked the gun into the ditch in frustration. "You sssstupid creature!!! I ssssaid to _get _the gunkat, _not _eat him!" He slapped the mushroom-monster on its wrinkled nose. 

        The creature whimpered pitifully and cowered down, an action that seemed to irritate Viper even more.

        "I don't care if you were hungry!" he snapped. "Any homiccccide is potentially ssssignificant. That kat could have told usss what wasss going on. It'll be _your _fault if I get hunted ssssome night becaussse I interrupted ssssomething."

        The fungoid whimpered again and looked guilty. It began to toy with a piece of black-and-gold cloth caught between its fangs.

        Suddenly, the creature looked up, and began to gibber excitedly.

        Viper sighed. "What now?"

        The fungoid jab a tentacle at the grove of trees. With a quiet growl, Viper went in the indicated direction . . . 

        . . . and almost tripped on the body of the dark-haired she-kat. 

        She was lying crumpled on the ground, unmoving. A quick look around told Viper what had caused the cracking sound; she had run head-first into a thick branch   in her flight. 

        Viper noticed something glitter in the grass. He looked, and found a black-handled switchblade lying near the she-kat's body. She must have dropped it when she was knocked unconscious. 

        Viper picked up the knife and examined it. Inorganic weapons meant little to the scientist, since he couldn't mutate them, but he had to admit that this knife was a nice one. The handle was black leather, with some silver wire embroidered for a grip. The blade was out, and he could see a streak of blood and amber fur. He remembered how she had struck at the gunkat.

        "Feissssty one." Viper remarked. Almost on a whim, he slipped the knife into his coat pocket before turning his attention back to the she-kat.  

        She was very thin, bordering on emaciation, with graceful bones under her silver-tabby fur. There was a trickle of blood running from her scalp, probably from where she'd run into the branch. He knelt down and felt for a pulse. Yes, she was very much alive.

        Viper's mood rose slightly. Losing the gunkat had been a great annoyance, but victims often had at least a rough idea of why they were targeted. Perhaps when this she-kat woke, she could give some answers. There was probably nothing to tell, but one had to be careful.

        Growling quietly to himself, Viper picked up the limp form and slung her over his shoulder. He wouldn't be able to complete the raid tonight, and he certainly couldn't wait here. If other kats were nearby, the gunshots might have attracted them. There was no choice; he'd have to take her back to the lab.

        "Change of plansss." Viper called to the fungoid. "We're going home. Come on!"

        The monster whimpered sulkily.

        "Well, it'sss your own fault! You should have waited before eating the other kat. Then we could have gotten ansssswers and been on our way."

        Viper started back toward the deeper swamp, glad his burden wasn't heavy. At the water's edge, he paused for a moment, and looked back at the mushroom-monster with a cruel grin. 

        "But if you're good, I'll let you eat her when I'm done." 


	7. Chapter 6: Desperate Alliance

**Chapter Six**

**_Desperate Alliance_**     

        A dull, throbbing pain was beating inside Danika's skull. She tried to block it out, but it only increased, and was joined by a stinging on her forehead. When she tried to touch it, she found she could not move. 

        She remembered Jay Guarre pointing a gun at her, a sound that had made him turn, cutting him with her knife, running away . . . and blackness. 

        Panic suddenly filled Danika. Had Jay shot her? But no; the dead could not feel pain, and her aching skull and cut forehead were very real. 

        Besides, since when did the Afterworld look like a horror-movie laboratory?

        She was in a huge cavern, dimly illuminated by some unknown light. The walls were a dull brown-green color, set here and there with growths. At the far end of the room, Danika could see a crude table covered with more bottles, flasks, and chemistry equipment than she had ever seen in her life. More containers lined shelves that seemed to grow out of the wall itself. It was too dark for her to see into all corners of the room, and perhaps that was a good thing. What she _could_ see was creepy enough. 

        Looking down, Danika saw why she couldn't move. Living vines had bound her upright to the wall. The vines were as thick as her wrist, and they reached from her knees to just below her breasts. Steel ropes couldn't have held her more effectively. 

        "Don't bother trying to get free." hissed a low voice. Danika turned her head. 

        Seated in the shadows nearby was a very strange-looking kat indeed. Danika actually had to squint to make sure he _was_ a kat. Instead of fur, his skin was covered in green reptilian scales, and his legs reminded her of a lizard's. His only article of clothing was a white lab coat. 

        "I thought you were never going to wake up." the reptilian kat continued. His voice had an undertone like a snake's hiss. "Now that you're awake, I want ansssswers. What were you and the other one doing in my territory?"

        His demanding pinched Danika's nerves. She bared her teeth, determined not to show her fear.

        "Why do you care?" she growled.

        The kat lunged out and made Danika face him. She winced as his claws dug into her cheeks. 

        "Insolencccce will get you nowhere." he growled. "Now tell me why you were in the sssswamp!"

        Danika glared back. "It wasn't my idea! Jay led me here at gunpoint!" She paused. "What did you do with him?" 

        The reptilian kat chuckled. "_I_ did nothing. If my pet wasss hungry, I can't help that. Now, why did he bring you there?"

        "I told you, he led me at gunpoint! I don't know why! He's never tried to hurt me before." snapped Danika. 

        She took a deep breath, and looked closely at the strange kat. "I know you. You're that terrorist, Dr. Viper."

        "The very ssssame." Viper replied. He dug his claws deeper into Danika's cheeks. "Is anyone elsssse involved in thissss?"  

        "No!" Danika hissed painfully.       "Look, I don't _know_! Jay set this up; go ask him!"

        "A little late for that." growled Viper. He looked at Danika and sighed quietly. "Well, if you have nothing elsssse to tell, then I guessss I'll have to disssspose of you."

        Danika's gut clenched at the word "dispose". She watched as Viper turned and walked towards the table. 

        No. She would not let herself be taken down that easily. After struggling futilely against the vines, she tried to think. Maybe she could talk to Viper, bribe him somehow. 

        But what did she have to offer? She recalled enough about Dr. Viper to know he wasn't interested in money. 

        Danika glanced over at the table of chemicals, and the plants growing on the wall. She recognized some species. 

        Her studies came back to her. 

        "Wait!"

        At the table, Viper paused.

        Danika swallowed and tried to find the right words. "Maybe I could be of use to you."

        Viper folded his arms across his chest. "And how would that be? You don't have anything I want."

        "I could help you here. I've studied the natural sciences. I mean, it must be hard doing all this work on your own." she added with a weak chuckle. 

        There was a long pause. Then, very slowly, Viper turned to look at her. 

        "You're offering to be my sssslave?"

        "That is _not_ what I said!" she growled back. "I said I would assist you in exchange for my life." 

        The reptilian kat laughed quietly. It was nothing new for his victims to try to bargain for their lives. And it was completely pointless; he couldn't afford to spare them. It would be too easy for them to lead law enforcement back to his lab. Still, sometimes he found it amusing to keep them alive, though he usually . . . _altered _them somewhat. Morbulus was a testament to that. 

        But for all her temper, this she-kat was skin and bones, too weak for experimentation. She'd given no useful information, and she'd interrupted an important raid. He'd have to wait until tomorrow night to do his "shopping".  

        _Shopping.___

        Robbing laboratories was one thing, but Viper had always been irritated that he also had to steal from common supply stores, when a normal kat could have simply walked in and bought what they needed. 

        _A normal kat._

        His creatures were useless; they couldn't understand anything beyond simple commands. But a creature of the same intelligence as Viper, with at least a basic understanding of science, would be ideal for such errands.

        The she-kat's offer actually started to seem like a good idea. 

        Viper's concern was her free will; once he released her, he had no doubt she would run directly to the Enforcers. He needed a way to manipulate her. 

        Since she obviously wanted to stay alive, a threat to her life seemed most logical. And Viper recalled a recent creation of his that would be ideal for the task.                 

        "Very well, girl; you've convincccced me. I'll use you on trial. Little tassssks at firsssst, and if you prove trusssstworthy, I'll give you more duties. And if you try anything . . ." Viper chuckled. "I'm always in need of a feline sssspecimen."

        Danika swallowed. "Fine. Now will you let me go?"

        "Not yet." said Viper. "I want to make one little assurancccce. Jusssst be quiet for a few minutes."

        Rummaging on the vine shelves, the scientist fetched several flasks and a jar of white powder. Danika watched as he mixed a thick chemical in a beaker, then poured a small amount into a petri dish. The white powder was infused in the mixture, and then she watched as the dish was quickly heated over a burner. Nervously, she wondered what Viper was doing.

        Her nervousness turned into terror as she saw him retrieve a thick hypodermic needle and draw whatever was in the petri dish into the syringe. The reptilian kat walked over to her. 

        Danika stared fearfully at the syringe. "What is that?"

        "Assurancccce." Viper replied with a nasty smile.

        Before Danika could react, he seized her by the hair and yanked her head to the side. She felt a sharp jab as he injected her in the right temple. When the needle was withdrawn, she felt a dull pain just under her skin. Viper let go of her hair, and stepped back calmly.

        Danika's eyes flashed violet fire, and she bared her teeth. 

        "What did you do to me?!"

        Viper grinned. "Ssssomething I created ssssome time ago. It's a ssssmall organic capssssule embedded in the dermissss. The coating will lasssst for about thirty-sixsss hours, and then your lymphoccccytes will dissolve it, releassssing a deadly poison into your bloodsssstream. That is, unlesssss you come to me for the antidote." 

        "What sort of poison?"

        "You actually think I'm going to tell you?" Viper chuckled. "That's the idea. As long as I'm the only one who can treat you, ssssetting the Enforccccers on me is ssssuiccccide."   

        The silver she-kat growled under her breath. More than anything, she hated being controlled. But Viper was right; once she got out, her fate would be sealed if she turned him in. 

        "Fine." she sighed at last. "I'll come back in thirty-six hours. Now please tell these things to let go of me."

        Viper made no sound or movement, but the vines immediately let go of Danika, and she collapsed on the floor, stiff and exhausted. Delicately, she felt her right temple, and detected a tiny lump just under the skin.

        "I wouldn't presssss it too hard." Viper chuckled. "You might releasssse the poison early." 

        Walking back over to the table, he reached for a pencil and a scrap of paper, and considered what articles to have Danika fetch, eventually deciding on a few, fairly unimportant plant specimens.  

        List in paw, Viper went back over to where Danika lay. He coiled his tail around the she-kat's waist and lifted her to her feet. 

        "These are what I need. If you bring them in deccccent condition, I might entrusssst you with more complexss requessssts."            

        He pointed towards a small passageway. "I suggesssst you sssstart right away. Time fliesss." 

        Danika started down the tunnel, but no sooner had she reached the end than thick blue-green tentacles lashed out and wrapped around her waist. Pale red eyes watched at her hungrily from the face of a huge mushroom-like creature. Danika screamed and tried to kick at the thing's eyes, struggling away from the gaping maw it was trying to stuff her into.

        "Let her go, my pet." Viper's voice echoed from behind. 

        The monster whimpered and babbled something.     

        "Well, I've changed my mind! I have plansss for her. Bessssides, you've already had one ssssnack tonight." Danika stopped struggling and looked back just as Viper added "But if she disssspleases me, you can eat her later."

        _You've already had one snack tonight._ With a cold shock, Danika realized what had happened to Jay Guarre. 

        The monster growled quietly, but then it let go of Danika with almost a sigh. She watched it slink inside like a kitten sent away from the cookie jar. 

        She walked trembling out of the tunnel, and was greeted by a breath of moist swamp air. The area was dark and foggy, but Danika could make out the shapes of trees, and the occasional glint of moonlight on water. 

        _Water?___

Danika realized that she was standing on a platform on the side of a gigantic tree. A mossy ladder reached down to the mangrove-like roots, but there was no visible path.  

"Wait, how am I supposed to get back?!" she screamed.

        Viper shrugged. "That's _your_ problem. It's no sssscale off my ear if the alligatorsss get you. They need to eat too." he added with a chuckle. 

        As Viper disappeared back into the tree, the silver she-kat climbed quickly down the ladder. At the bottom, she pulled several chunks of moss off the rungs and threw them into the water. When nothing snapped at them, she decided it was safe to step onto the roots. 

        "This is just _perfect._" Danika muttered to herself. "Stuck on a tree in the middle of the swamp, no map, no path, alligators in the water, and a time bomb in my face." She snarled at the murky depths. 

        "I have to _think_. The snake got me back here while I was unconscious. He couldn't have swum while carrying me, and swamp ground is too soft for a tunnel. He must have an aboveground path."

        She smirked. "If he used it, so can I." 

        There was a dead branch in the shallows. Danika pulled it onto the root, and tore off a bough about her own height. She reached into her jacket for her switchblade, intending to cut off the smaller twigs.

        That was how she found out her switchblade was gone. 

        Danika swore viciously. She had bought that knife for her eighteenth birthday, and it had been her friend and protector on the streets of the city for the last five years. Now it was lost, and she would have to walk home in the dark of morning without a weapon. Not to mention crossing the swamp. Danika wasn't a coward, but the thought was not a comforting one.

        Growling under her breath, she began to jab in the water with the stripped branch, hunting for shallow places. At last, on the edge of the biggest root, she found what she had been suspecting: a walkway of clay and weed just under the water. The swamp was so murky and weed-choked that she could never have found it with eyes alone.

        The moon in her left eye, and her staff finding a path, Danika began to head north though the swamp, back to MegaKat City.   


	8. Chapter 7: Venom's Slave

**Author's Note: **This chapter features Strong Language, mostly on Danika's part. When Danika is angry, she does not have a clean mouth. You have been warned. 

**Disclaimer (yes, I'm using one!): **I own Danika, Atropos, the Sable Lotus and its employees, Homer and Kraken, Fungusface II, the Duhar 360, and pretty much anything that is not part of the canon series. Everything else belongs to _SWAT Kats_, which is property of Hanna-Barbera and the Tremblays. It goes without saying that a lawsuit is pointless, as I am but a penniless waif.  

****

**Chapter Seven**

**_Venom's Slave_**

        The young spider crawled artfully along the rough cement ceiling. He had been exploring the garage for several days, drawn by the promise of good hunting on any insects that wandered in. At present, he was seeking a suitable place for a web. 

        Sounds and smells from below caught the spider's attention. Yes, there was an unmoving object below, and a smell of life that would attract prey. Carefully, the spider lowered himself to the surface of the object, his claw-like feet coming to rest on a soft, strangely porous surface. 

        A moment later, caramel-brown fingers flicked, and the spider found himself airborne.

        "Sorry about that, little guy." Jake called to the fleeing arachnid. "But I didn't get my paws on a vintage Duhar 360 to have you build a web on it. Try up in the corner by the front door, and make sure Chance doesn't see you!"

        "Too late."

        Jake grinned. "Speak of the devil."

        "It's bad enough the bugs come into the garage," Chance grumbled as he joined his friend beside Danika's motorcycle, "but you don't need to _invite _them in."

        "I'd think you'd _welcome _the spiders, buddy. They'll eat all the other bugs."

        "Yeah, and when the bugs are gone, they'll start on the kats. And you know they'll go for the smallest ones first." The tabby gave his friend a wicked grin. "First it's potted plants, now spiders. If I don't watch out, you'll start bringing in full-grown tiger sharks and homeless pythons."

        Jake frowned. "Just for that, I _will _bring home sharks and pythons, and I'll tell them they can sleep in _your _bed."

        Bending down, he pulled a strand of spider-silk off the motorcycle seat. He waved his finger and let the thread float in the air. "This stuff is really incredible. Did you know, Chance, a rope of spiderweb only as thick as your finger would be strong enough to hold back a jumbo jet? Katkind doesn't have any material to equal it."

        "Too bad; we could use some of that in our arsenal. But I didn't come down here for science lessons, Doctor Doolittle." Chance folded his powerful arms across his chest. "I came down to ask why you were out here until midnight and up at five this morning just to work on one old motorcycle."

        "One old . . ." Jake half-feigned offense. "Chance, it's a vintage Duhar 360! You almost never see these! Even the she-kat who left it didn't appreciate its value."

        "Okay, okay. What was its problem, anyway? As I recall, you wouldn't let me touch it."

        The caramel tom pointed to the left side of the engine. "One of the gears came loose and was rattling. It tightened easily enough."

        "Then why . . ."

        Chance's face suddenly froze in realization.

        "You don't mean you were up half the night _playing _with that motorcycle?!" He sighed dramatically. "I think you've spent too much time near those engine fumes. Up late with motorcycles, talking to spiders . . . No question, buddy. You – are – insane." He rapped his knuckles on his friend's head in emphasis. 

        Jake frowned and smoothed his hair. "This from the kat who put turboplugs in Callie's engine."

        "Hey, that was different! Besides, it should have worked!"

        Seeing that he had struck a nerve, Jake decided not to press the matter. "Look, I'd better go call Miss Rhoswen that her bike's ready. Try not to take on the spider while I'm gone."

        In the office, Jake quickly found Danika Rhoswen's form and dialed the number she had left. He drummed his fingers on the desk as the rings echoed in his ear, one after another. 

        Three. 

        Seven.

        Ten. 

        "Why couldn't she have an answering machine?" the lean tom muttered. 

        Finally, after fifteen rings, the phone was answered. The voice on the other end was raspy and sleep-slurred. 

        "M'Rhoswen'er." 

        "Miss Rhoswen? It's Jake Clawson at the garage. We got your motorcycle fixed a bit earlier than expected."

        There was a loud gasp, and when Danika spoke again, she sounded wide awake. "Oh thank the gods! Thank you so much! When can I pick it up?"

        "Right now, if you want."

        "Thank you, Mr. Clawson. You have no idea how much of a lifesaver this is."

        "Well, okay. See you soon."

        Jake hung up the phone. "Funny girl. Wonder why she needs her bike so badly."

~~~

        Atropos was in a very good mood this evening. Slurping her second goblet of sweet cream, she congratulated herself on a job well done. 

        It had been an hour since her arrival at the Sable Lotus, and in that time, neither the meddlesome she-kat nor the weak-minded tom had shown their faces. Atropos smirked; undoubtedly the tom had killed the she-kat, and was now keeping a low profile. She knew better than to ask, lest a connection be made. 

        Everything was perfect. With no foolish, meddling Danika Rhoswen to make him suspicious, Xavier Pallas would be easy to manipulate, and his money wasn't growing any greener in his own pockets. 

        Atropos drained her glass, and giggled at the dizzy, bubbly feeling the liquor brought on. Cream might not give her powers or taste as good as a kat's soul, but for getting drunk in celebration, nothing worked better. 

        "'Ello, miss?" she called to a skinny figure that had appeared from the storage room. The figure visibly jumped at her words, but came over.

        When she saw the purple eyes and silver-tabby fur, Atropos almost fell out of her chair. 

        "Yes, Madame Cutter?" Danika asked quietly, fidgeting with her ponytail. 

        Atropos spluttered for a moment, and managed to recover herself long enough snarl "Nothing. Never mind."

        Danika squinted at her. "Madame Cutter, are you all right?" _And please say you're not_.

        "I'm fine! Go away!" When Danika hesitated, Atropos screamed "GO!!!" and hissed at her. 

        The silver she-kat needed no more urging. 

        "That scrawny little worm! How dare she have survived?!" Atropos clenched her fists and growled. "That filthy –"

        _Filthy?_

An ordinary kat could not have smelled it, but Atropos was not an ordinary kat. She took a deeper breath of the fleeing she-kat's scent, and smelled it again. Beneath the usual odors of soap and sweat, Danika's fur reeked of swamp water and rotting green things, and it infuriated Atropos. She didn't hate swamps, no more than she hated all things that did not serve her.  But the very thought of MegaKat Swamp brought back memories that could drive Atropos mad with rage.   

        The sound of cracking glass brought the plump she-kat back to her senses. Although it was nowhere near her paws, her empty goblet had shattered into a thousand fragments of black crystal, just as if it had been struck with a hammer.

        Mentally she cursed herself for losing control of her powers, and her grudge against Danika Rhoswen increased. 

~~~

        At the edge of the bar, Danika paused to catch her breath. She had spent most of the evening napping off and on in the storage room, and her muscles were not at all awake. The last twenty-four hours had been a living nightmare.

        In spite of finding the path, it had taken her the better part of the night to get out of the swamp. There had been light in the east by the time she had reached the city. Once returning to her apartment, she had collapsed on her bed and simply fallen unconscious for a few blissful hours. 

        It had been a true godsend that her motorcycle was ready early; the plants Viper had ordered her to retrieve had required almost a full day of searching. One specimen, the dwarf sundew*, had actually required her to go to the Manx Botanical Gardens and clip off a flower when the guard's back was turned. 

        "How did that snake manage before he had me?" she remembered asking herself.

        But now she had the plants, all strapped into a bin in the bike basket she used for shopping. As soon as the sun rose tomorrow, she would make her way into the swamp to deliver them to Dr. Viper. 

        For the umpteenth time that day, Danika ran her fingers over the lump in her right temple. Was it smaller than it had been that afternoon? What if Viper had lied, and the poison released earlier than thirty-six hours? She might drop dead right here.

        "If it weren't for Homer and Kraken, that would actually be a relief. At least the dead get a full night's sleep."

        'Who are you talking to, Danika?" Lauren asked, walking over with a tray of empty glasses.

        Danika turned to the senior waitress. "Nothing, Lauren. Just thinking."

        "Well stop thinking and start working, kitten." The older she-kat retrieved a clean glass. "Danika, Jay Guarre hasn't come to work tonight. I know you saw him last night; do you know where he is?"

        _In the stomach of a mushroom monster._"No, I'm sorry. He left right after he took me home. Maybe he's visiting friends?" she offered. 

        Lauren shrugged. "Well, if you hear from him, let me know."

        Danika swallowed as Lauren left. "For all I know, I'll be joining him soon."

~~~

        The next morning, the sun managed to evaporate some of the fog over MegaKat Swamp. Dr. Viper took advantage of the increased light by climbing to one of the tree's high branches to sunbathe. 

        The reptilian scientist purred contentedly as the warmth permeated his scales, filling him with energy. He wasn't fully cold-blooded, not being a full reptile, but he enjoyed the sun just the same. And this branch, formed by his orders and his chemicals into a rough balcony, was one of his favorite places to relax, not least because it gave him a wide view of the swamp.

        "Ssssuch beauty." 

        Viper idly stirred a patch of moss with one black claw. "Everything isss in balancccce. Only thosssse worthy of exisssstencccce ssssurvive. The mosssss feedsss off the dying ccccells of the tree, and it will be eaten when it diessss. Perfection."

        He chuckled darkly. "Oncccce that curssssed MegaKat Ccccity is no longer around to pollute it, it will be _true _perfection."

        When he felt refreshed, Viper climbed down the branch and re-entered his laboratory. He picked up a container of nutrients, and was setting about feeding a series of experiments when the fungus-monster's familiar growl called from the front entrance.

        Viper sighed. "What isss it?"

        The huge fungoid oozed its way in, jabbering excitedly. In one of its tentacles it held a small plastic bin, and wrapped in another was the scrawny she-kat Viper remembered from the night before last. Her lower body was splashed with mud, and she had massive bags under her eyes and a fraying Band-aid on her forehead. 

        "Tell your fucking monster to let go of me!" she screamed, struggling wildly.

        "Not until I'm sure that you're not up to anything." Viper replied. He pointed to the bin. "What isss that?"

        "The plants you made me get, you idiot! You should be thanking me after all the trouble I went through! And –"

        "Pleasssse shut her up." Viper said to the fungoid.

        The creature obliged by wrapping a tentacle tightly around the she-kat's mouth. 

        Under Viper's careful direction, the creature opened the bin and removed the plant specimens one by one. Viper had to admit that he was impressed; the she-kat had even found a dwarf sundew flower. He placed the specimens on a table, and filled a syringe with milky liquid. 

        A wail from the fungus-monster made Viper whirl around so fast that he nearly stabbed himself with the needle. He saw the fungoid waving a tentacle in pain. 

        "Next time you want me to be quiet, tell me so yourself." the she-kat growled, her face twisted in disgust. "And make your creatures taste better."

        Viper chuckled. "You're temperamental, girl, I'll give you that. But thosssse who get temperamental with me don't live long." 

        "Fine. What are you going to inject me with now?" She narrowed her eyes.

        "The antidote for your poissson, of coursssse. You don't have many hours left before the capssssule breaksss, you know."

        Viper walked over to the bound she-kat. "Now hold sssstill unlesssss you want thissss to hurt a lot. And if you're planning on biting me . . . you don't want to do that." 

        Danika bared her teeth, but she didn't move as Viper injected the antidote into the lump beneath her skin. She felt a burning sensation for a moment, then a sucking feeling as the capsule dissolved harmlessly into her bloodstream. She couldn't see, but she was certain that the lump had vanished. 

        "Thank you." she bit out. "Can I go now?" 

        "You should know better than that, girl. I can't let you leave without assssurancccce."

        "Assurance . . ." She froze. "No! You're not doing it again! I barely survived this time; there's no way I can do it again!"

        "And why should I be conccccerned about that?" Viper narrowed his eyes at her. "I didn't assssk for you to be here. And girl –"

        "My name is _Danika!_"

        Viper smiled cruelly. "Well, Danika, I would like to remind you that it isss a _privilege _to be my assssisssstant. Being my tesssst ssssubject is much lesssss pleassssant."

        Danika gave a bitter laugh. "Now I'm your _assistant? _I liked 'slave' better. At least it was the truth."

        Viper snarled quietly. "Gag her again, would you?"

        The fungoid whimpered and shook its bitten tentacle. 

        "You heard me! I don't want to hear her voicccce while I'm working! I'll punish her if she bites you again."

        Still obviously hesitant, the fungoid wrapped its tentacle around Danika's mouth again. She didn't bite, but the glare she gave Viper would have made a Megasaurus Rex run away yelping.  

        Ignoring it, Viper returned to his worktable and set about quickly preparing a second poison capsule. He was tempted to give it a weak shell, so that it would dissolve early and kill the she-kat, but decided against it. She might still have some use. 

        When the capsule had hardened over the burner, Viper retrieved the thick needle and returned to face Danika. To his annoyance, he realized that he couldn't reach Danika's temple with the thick tentacle around her face. He'd have to release her mouth. 

        "Un-gag her for a moment." he said to the mushroom-monster, which eagerly obliged. "Now hold sssstill, girl, or thissss needle might sssslip and sssstab you in the eye or nossstril, and you wouldn't want that."  

        Danika replied by spitting at him. 

        The reptilian kat snarled and shoved her head to the side. He injected in the right temple again, drawing a squeal of pain. 

        "You bastard! I swear I'll kill you for this!"

        Viper wiped saliva from his forehead. "Yessss, you'll kill me by exssspectorating. In casssse you haven't noticccced, Danika, you're in no possssition to threaten me. " He pulled a second, shorter list from his pocket, and placed it in the pocket of Danika's jeans. "Now take her outsssside; I don't want her loosssse in the lab." 

        As the fungoid made its way to the outside ladder, it felt vaguely puzzled by its master's behavior. Why was its master making this snack run errands? Wasn't it a good enough servant? Why didn't the master let it eat the snack, since it seemed to make him angry? The young mutant was troubled. 

        On the platform outside, the fungoid released Danika. It briefly examined her in a way similar to that of a gourmet examining a new dish, and then clambered back into the laboratory. 

~~~

        After climbing down the slimy ladder, Danika buried her face in her shirt and screamed. 

        What had she done to deserve this?! Enslaved by one of the most dangerous criminals in MegaKat City, with certain death awaiting her if she sought help. 

        Her words to Viper hadn't been a lie; she would not be able to survive like this much longer. She could try, but eventually lack of sleep would make her sick. Or she would be kept from going to Viper for the antidote, and die when the poison capsule dissolved. Even if she managed to survive, what was there to stop Viper from becoming bored with her and simply killing her on a whim? 

        No, she would have to act. And as always before, she would have to act alone. 

        She'd have to remove the capsule, of course; thirty-six hours wasn't nearly enough time. Once the capsule was gone, she would have to find a way to keep Viper from threatening her again. 

        His laboratory. She could get to him through his chemicals. 

        Her thoughts were not those of a sane person, but driven by fear, rage, and lack of sleep, insane thoughts came only too easily. 

        "You will pay, Viper." she whispered as she found the path once again. "The next time you see me, I'll make you sorry you ever threatened Danika Rhoswen." 

*_For those of you who don't know, a sundew is a carnivorous flower similar to a Venus flytrap. It looks something like an inverted, bright red jellyfish, and behaves a lot like one as well. I have no idea if there is such a thing as a "dwarf sundew"; I just liked the name. _


End file.
